Real Faith in Action: The Demonstration of Nine Principles that Characterize Authentic Faith

By Curl Oral Hazell

In this day of increasing uncertainty and fear, faith in God is needed more than ever before. In addition to its incalculable other benefits, faith in God brings peace, comfort, and overflowing joy to those who put their trust in God. But not any kind of "faith" can procure these benefits, only biblical faith can. When understood in its biblical authenticity, and then put into action, faith always leads to triumph in that it enables us to experience what God ordained for us to obtain, perform, and become. In light of this, it is extremely important that we--the people of God--possess a comprehensive, biblically-based, practical tool to aid us in achieving this understanding.
Real Faith in Action is that tool! It presents an unconventional, multi-dimensional view of faith, revealing many aspects usually not discussed in other works, through nine principles that are clearly laid out by the Holy Spirit in what is unquestionably the most comprehensive reporting of the working of faith in all of Scripture--the roll call of faith in Hebrews 11. The principles are thus illustrated through the real life experiences of fellow humans who dared to believe God for the impossible. Accordingly, the book goes beyond explaining faith to demonstrating faith. It is designed to captivate and draw the reader into the world of the faith heroes of the past, thus inspiring him or her to do likewise. Furthermore, in that real life experiences are discussed, any thought of being incapable of doing the same should be vanquished, knowing that others succeeded in their accomplishments by utilizing the same faith to which we also have access.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Resource Publications
• Release date: Sep 1, 2009
• ISBN: 9781498274432

Curl Oral Hazell

Curl Oral Hazell is the Senior Pastor of Agape Fellowship Christian Center in Conyers, Georgia. He received his Master of Divinity from New Brunswick Theological Seminary in 2003.

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Real Faith in Action

The Demonstration of Nine Principles that Characterize Authentic Faith

Curl Oral Hazell

2008.Resource_logo.jpg

Real Faith in Action

The Demonstration of Nine Principles that Characterize Authentic Faith

Copyright © 2009 Curl Oral Hazell. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical publications or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. Write: Permissions, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401.

Resource Publications

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ISBN 13: 978-1-60608-781-7

EISBN 13: 978-1-4982-7443-2

Manufactured in the U.S.A.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Principle 1: Faith is based on the word of God

Principle 2: Faith must be mixed with Righteousness

Principle 3: Faith requires doing the Ridiculous

Principle 4: Faith begins where human ability ends

Principle 5: Faith ultimately works toward preparing us for our heavenly home

Principle 6: Faith is not nullified by anything,not even death, our last enemy

Principle 7: Faith gives a voice to the dead

Principle 8: Faith sees beyond the present pleasures of this life

Principle 9: Faith is the only means whereby we are justified

Conclusion

Bibliography

Dedicated in loving memory of my grandparents, George and Rosanna Hazell, who nurtured my brothers, Elvin and Michael, and me in the ways of the Lord from our childhood. This book was made possible in large part because of their godly influence upon my life.

Preface

In order to appreciate the profundity of the principles, it will be important for the reader, while studying them, to keep in mind that they actually cover three essential areas where faith serves to enable us to do the will of God. They are:

1. Empowering us to become what God ordained for us to become.

2. Equipping us to perform what God commanded us to do.

3. Providing us with confidence to trust God to obtain what God promised to give us.

If we are honest, I believe we would admit that in most cases when faith is taught or studied today, almost exclusive attention is given to the role that faith plays in the area of enabling us to acquire the blessings of God. In contrast, the principles of faith, which I am convinced the Holy Spirit strategically laid out for us in Hebrews 11, and which are presented in this book, demonstrate that faith actually serves a three-fold purpose, as outlined above. Overemphasis on any one area while neglecting or minimizing the others, or focus on any two while failing to give equal attention to the third, ultimately leads to worship and service that is not fully pleasing to God. This outcome will always be the same whether our imbalanced approach to faith is due to misunderstanding or deliberate neglect.

As a means to help overcome this problem, the principles present faith as an instrument which God put in the hands of the righteous to accomplish His will in all three areas. Accordingly, in reading this book, it will be important to take note of how faith functioned in each of the three areas in the lives of the past witnesses, because our ability to model the same will be the key to how we will be able to obtain the same testimony they obtained—as having pleased God.

Acknowledgments

To my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,

Thank you for saving me, calling me to the ministry, imparting these insights about faith to me, and allowing me the opportunity to share them with many others.

To my mother, Laurene Hazell,

Thank you for insisting that I go to church when I did not want to. Your insistence ensured that I was in the place where I could hear the word of God and be convicted by it, which ultimately led to my salvation. As a result, you have played a major role in inspiring me to write this book.

To the Bishop, Dr. Roderick R. Caesar and the Bethel Ministries,

Thank you for providing quality ministries that equipped me with much of what I have learned in ministry. Your impact on my life has led in large part to the writing of this book.

To Pastor Curtis Thompson,

You were the first to help me realize the gift that God gave me to perform the work of the ministry when I was just a babe in Christ. Your godly influence on me has played a significant role in inspiring me to write this book.

To the Reverend Gregg A. Mast, Ph.D., President of New Brunswick Theological Seminary, and the entire NBTS Family—faculty and students,

Thank you for the invaluable reflection that I received during my years of study in the Master of Divinity Program, and for your continued support even to this day. You have made a significant contribution in inspiring me to write this book. Special thanks also to the Reverend Richard Sturm, Ph.D., my copyeditor, for your tremendous help in this project.

To Andrew Shipe, Ph.D.,

Thank you for your editorial assistance in this project.

To the Agape Family—the people that God entrusted me to lead,

My love and concern for you gave rise to the initial study that culminated in the writing of this book. You have therefore played a major role in this composition. Thank you for your continued love and support for my family and me.

To those who have been praying for me over the years,

Your prayers, many kind words of encouragement, and support have contributed in a major way to inspiring me to write this book.

To Olivia and Nathan, my beloved children,

My prayer for you is that as you grow you will understand faith in its Biblical authenticity, put it into action, and thereby realize the promises of God. I love you!

Last, but by no means least, to my dear wife, my love, Bernadette,

Your role in my life has been invaluable. Thank you for loving me, being by my side, and supporting me in every effort in ministry, including the writing of this book. Thank you for your critique and honest feedback. Love always.

Introduction

The Inspiration

God, by His incredible grace and love, has given us an amazing gift—faith—to be an effective tool in our hands that enables us to serve and please Him. Faith is not only the means whereby we believe God unto salvation, but also what makes it possible for us to trust God to keep us by His grace in fellowship with Him until the day He calls us to the eternal city on high. Moreover, faith is also the substance that enables us to realize the promises of God in our lives. In order for these truths to become reality, however, faith must be appropriated in us. Furthermore, failing to appropriate faith will lead to incalculable destructive consequences in the realm of eternity, as well as to overwhelming despair in this life. For the people of God, while the first risk is avoided, the second—despair in this life—remains a real possibility. This risk ever increases when we are either not thoroughly taught the truth about Biblical faith, or are not taught it correctly. In my observation in recent times, sadly, both factors seem to be contributing to the risk in major ways. As a pastor, therefore, I felt the need, which was no doubt the leading of the Lord, to teach authentic, Biblical faith to those whom I was entrusted to lead in an attempt at least to minimize this danger. Without having this understanding, the flock would be deprived of many of faith’s numerous rewards. This likelihood was frightening to consider, especially in light of the mounting uncertainties, doubts, and fears, which many face in today’s world.

At least to that point, the culmination of my deep concerns was the Lord’s impartation to me of the two-part sermon, The Principles of Faith from Hebrews 11. Some time after preaching that message, I felt further impressed of the Lord that this teaching should not be limited in reach to the congregation He had given me oversight of, but it should also be made available to the body of Christ at large. Such prompting was unlike any I had had in relation to any of the other one hundred or so sermons I had preached to that point since becoming a pastor about two years earlier. The truth, as outlined in Hebrews 11 concerning real faith in action, which will be explained in the nine principles comprising the nine chapters of this book, I believe will be life changing to every person of faith who reads it. These principles, as seen in the lives of the heroes of faith that have gone on before us, will inspire faith in every situation of our lives and radicalize our belief in God for everything He has promised us. So buckle up and get ready for an incredible tour of display of hope and trust by many who, against all odds, dared to believe God!

Faith

Before discussing the principles, an important question must be answered since we are addressing the topic of faith: "Exactly what is faith"? The writer of the book of Hebrews opened chapter 11—the text of focus—with the statement that many quote as a definition of faith: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." But was that intended to be a definition though? Instead of being intended to serve as a definition of faith, indications are that the writer perhaps did not have such an intention at all. As noted Biblical scholar, Fred Craddock points out, viewed in context beginning at chapter 10:36–39 through chapter 11:40, the objective may have been to unify the entire discussion of the various acts of faith by describing elements that are at work in any action of faith, and thus the statement was capable of serving as a refrain following each example of faith that would be described.¹ Consequently, while it may be argued that these assertions should be incorporated into any definition of faith, to consider the statement as being a complete definition of faith might go beyond the writer’s intent. Perhaps a more accurate assessment of the opening statement about faith in Hebrews 11 then is that it declares some fundamental truths about faith to prepare the reader for the amazing display of faith that many had demonstrated.

It was evidently important to declare these fundamental truths at the outset for as we shall see as we look closely at the amazing courage and beliefs of the heroes, the opening statement serves as a backdrop for the reader to keep in mind in order to fathom how our ancestors endured when at times they must have seemed foolish. To them, there was something tangible and assuring to hold on to in the midst of what must have appeared to others to be situations of impending loss and destruction. That material, the writer declared in his opening statement, was faith! In that something was hoped for but was not yet, faith became the substitute in the interim; though they had not yet seen it, because of faith, it was as if they already possessed it.

Having explored what the tactic of the writer of Hebrews may have been by his opening statement, which will help lay the foundation before discussing the principles, a definition of faith is still necessary in order to complete that foundation. As we seek one, we first note that Scripture actually presents faith as a two-dimensional concept. On the one hand, faith is presented as being the entire body of truth that God has revealed to us in Scripture, which we are called to believe and put our trust in.² Jude 3 perhaps explains this notion best: Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. In this passage Jude ardently reminded his readers that God, by His grace, delivered the faith in its unadulterated form to the saints. As a result of this reality he encouraged them to fight to uphold that untainted truth in the face of heretics. The faith could not be compromised then or now because only when it is received in its authenticity, and trusted in unconditionally, will it lead a person to salvation through Christ. Other passages that illustrate faith this way include 1 Tim 1:19, 1 Tim 5:8, 1 Tim 6:21, and 2 Tim 3:8.

Upon hearing the declaration that faith must be based on the word of God as the first principle of faith presented in this book does, reference should be noted as simultaneously being made to the first dimension of faith just described. This is because what the word of God reveals to us can be codified as the faith; it is the truth that was given to us as a gift of God, it is what we have trusted in, and it is what has led us to salvation in Christ. While the term faith is more widely used to describe the act of believing and trusting in God, therefore, this other usage of the term in Scripture must be understood as always being at the heart of the term in general because it is indeed the faith—the entire revealed body of truth—that we have been called to believe if we are to activate the purposes of God in our lives. So while principles 2–9 highlight the second, more popular dimension of the term faith, the first dimension will always be kept in view and at times will be alluded to throughout the survey of the principles. But just before we delve into the principles we will briefly discuss and define faith in terms of the primary dimension—believing and trusting in God for His promises contained in His word.

Just as we understand the traditional dimension of faith—the revealed body of truth—to be a gift from God since humanity received it by revelation and not by construction, the second dimension must also be conceptualized as being a gift from God as well. Although exercising faith in God requires believing and trusting on our part, understanding the truth about faith as being a gift from God will eliminate the notion that faith is a human achievement, which can lead to both a false sense of pride in assuming to possess the ability to procure the promises of God, and a superiority or inferiority complex surrounding one’s perceived measure of faith, depending on one’s disposition.

Renowned theologian, Stanley Grenz provides an insightful overview of faith that I think will be beneficial to make mention of to help us appreciate faith as being a gift of God.³ He highlights three essential components of faith that work in harmony to secure the final goal of bringing into fruition the will of God. They are: knowledge, assent, and trust. Although Grenz discussed these components from the standpoint of faith working in us unto salvation, the three must be recognized as being at work in any appropriation of faith to bring to pass any of the promises of God. Brief analysis of each should readily demonstrate what has been asserted thus far regarding faith being freely and generously handed down to us by God. Knowledge speaks of the information about the promises of God. This information is contained in Scripture and we learn of it when we hear the word of God (Rom 10:17). And clearly Scripture is God’s gift to us so that we can claim no credit for its composition. Thus in the initial stage of faith’s working in us, human ineptness is exposed to remind us not to be haughty but grateful that we have faith.

Assent involves intellectual acknowledgement that the knowledge that has been received is truth to the point that it is now believed. It is one thing to hear the word of God, but another thing to believe it. Many hear the word, but very few believe it. While it is true that in order to do this it will require a decision on one’s part, the fact still remains that the only reason why we have the capacity to make such a decision is because of God’s grace, which hardly any rational person would deny as being a gift of God. The willingness or unwillingness to make the decision rests with us, but the capacity to make it was given to us as a gift. This is why the apostle Paul said, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Eph 2:8–9). Not only is this true about salvation, but also concerning any of the numerous other promises of God. In assent, therefore, it is also evident that faith is a gift of God.

Trust, the third component of faith, completes faith in that it involves committing one’s life to the knowledge that was received and acknowledged to be truth. Again, it might appear that this aspect of faith can support the erroneous notion that faith is a human endeavor instead of a gift of God. But while it is true that trust requires that we follow through with the radical act of performing what we have acknowledged to be truth from the knowledge we receive, because commitment involves total reliance on another, namely, God, to bring about the desired outcome, such as salvation, healing, or peace, and the one who trusts has absolutely no power to secure it, the trust component of faith actually call attention to the fact that faith is a gift. We trust, not in ourselves, but in God, who afforded us this amazing privilege, which we could not earn. The three therefore, knowledge, assent, and trust all support the truth that faith is a gift of God. Thus, in any act of faith, works-righteousness is excluded; but grace—a free gift of God—enjoys prominence because it is the means whereby we receive faith, and for that we should be thankful!

As a caution, the placement of trust as being the third component of faith is not to be understood as being a